Brass Band Sections in Britain
Encyclopedia
There are five main brass band
sections in the United Kingdom
: Championship, First, Second, Third, and Fourth. The top bands are in the Championship section, and the bottom ones are in the Fourth section. Sometimes, a Youth section is also used, but this is not graded.
, which are usually the most famous. Bands such as Black Dyke
, Brighouse and Rastrick, and Grimethorpe
are placed in here. An elite few of these have professional players, but they mostly consist of semi-professional players.
The test pieces set for or commissioned by this section are extremely difficult and use techniques such as complex time signatures, fast semiquaver runs, and slow, quiet quartet
interludes. Music composed for this section in recent years has included "Eden" by John Pickard
and "Music of the Spheres" by Philip Sparke
.
Many of the top Championship section bands contain well-known brass band figures such as Roger Webster
(former principal cornet of Grimethorpe Colliery Band) and Brett Baker (principal trombone of Black Dyke).
There are a range of different competitions for this section, from the Regional Qualifying Contests (also known as "Areas") to the European Brass Band Championships.
Although many of the players at the top are truly virtuoso musicians, outside the genre they are seldom well known. All are amateurs (players pay for the privilege of being allowed to play with a band), and every player knows that if his or her musicianship is not up to standard, there are other musicians trying for their seat (their place in the band). This means that player rivalry exists even within an individual band.
composer and conductor T. J. Powell remain constant favourites.
One of the principal reasons for a decline into Fourth section status lies in the difficulties of recruiting new players. In the past when Britain had extensive heavy industries, these would sponsor brass bands, who would then bear their name. For example, the once-great Melin Griffith Band of Cardiff was adopted by Excelsior Rope Works when the Melingriffith Works closed down, and then they became the Excelsior Rope Works Band.
The decline in industrial sponsorship removed the financial backing which supported such vital items as a practice room, uniforms, instruments, stands, chairs, and music, which taken together cost far more than a subscription band can ever afford. However with very few exceptions, these bands have been struggling to get by supported only by the members' subscriptions, the occasional sponsored concerts, and playing Christmas carols. Not infrequently, practice rooms become unavailable, adding still more to the pressure to disband, and many bands have disappeared or amalgamated in recent years. A further problem is that players of ability would normally rather play in a band which stretches them, so it becomes hard to recruit good players for a lower section band, and this increases the problem.
and Pontins), there is a youth section prize awarded, but this is not common.
Youth bands suffer from some perennial problems, because players grow too old for the band and leave, causing the strength of the band to wane and then grow again. Also, as many youth band players are not fully-grown, they do not have the sound capacity of the adult bands; however, this may be offset by their enthusiasm.
The very best three or four youth bands will be around the standard of the top First section and lower Championship section bands. However, their strength undulates, so a youth band could sweep all before them in August, and then collapse in September when all the top players leave for university
.
The main competitions for youth bands are the Action Medical Research Youth Entertainment Championships, the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, and the brass band section of Music for Youth
.
The contest is run as a yearly event. The Area contests usually take place in March. The second part of the competition—the Finals—takes place the following September or October. Each section is assigned its own test piece. These test pieces are usually announced at the lower section Finals in September (or sometimes even before). In early June (after the qualifying bands from the Area contests have been decided), the set works for the Finals are announced.
There are eight Areas: West of England, London & Southern Counties, Midlands, Wales, North West, Yorkshire, North of England, and Scotland.
The First through Fourth Section Finals have recently been held at Harrogate International Centre
, and the Championship Section Finals are held in the Royal Albert Hall
of London
.
There are some shortcuts; for example, a band winning the National Title for its section is automatically promoted for the following year.
Brass band (British style)
A British-style brass band is a musical ensemble comprising a standardised range of brass and percussion instruments. The modern form of the brass band in the United Kingdom dates back to the 19th century, with a vibrant tradition of competition based around local industry and communities...
sections in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
: Championship, First, Second, Third, and Fourth. The top bands are in the Championship section, and the bottom ones are in the Fourth section. Sometimes, a Youth section is also used, but this is not graded.
Championship section
This is the section containing the very best bands in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, which are usually the most famous. Bands such as Black Dyke
Black Dyke Band
The Black Dyke Band, formerly the Black Dyke Mills Band, is one of the oldest and best-known brass bands in the world. The band has won many prizes and competitions over the years...
, Brighouse and Rastrick, and Grimethorpe
Grimethorpe Colliery Band
The Grimethorpe Colliery Band is a brass band, based in Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, England. It was formed in 1917, as a leisure activity for the workers at the colliery, by members of the disbanded Cudworth Colliery Band...
are placed in here. An elite few of these have professional players, but they mostly consist of semi-professional players.
The test pieces set for or commissioned by this section are extremely difficult and use techniques such as complex time signatures, fast semiquaver runs, and slow, quiet quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
interludes. Music composed for this section in recent years has included "Eden" by John Pickard
John Pickard (composer)
John Pickard , is a British classical composer.Pickard was born in Burnley, Lancashire, England. He studied music and composition at the University of Wales, under Welsh composer William Mathias, and later in The Netherlands under Louis Andriessen and in 1989 was awarded a PhD in composition...
and "Music of the Spheres" by Philip Sparke
Philip Sparke
Philip Sparke is a British composer and musician. He is noted for his concert band and brass band music.- Music for Winds :* 1973/1976 Gaudium* 1975 The Prizewinners for Brass-Band* 1978/1995 Fantasy for Euphonium...
.
Many of the top Championship section bands contain well-known brass band figures such as Roger Webster
Roger Webster
Roger Webster is an English cornetist and psychologist. He has been acclaimed as one of the world's best ever cornetists. He also teaches performance at the Royal Northern College of Music as well as a weekly lecture on psychology...
(former principal cornet of Grimethorpe Colliery Band) and Brett Baker (principal trombone of Black Dyke).
There are a range of different competitions for this section, from the Regional Qualifying Contests (also known as "Areas") to the European Brass Band Championships.
First, Second, and Third sections
The First section is the next section down from the Championship section, and although the contest music is not as challenging, it is still quite difficult to play. The degree of difficulty of the music used in competitions is progressively less for each section. Many individual players in the First section can match the virtuosity of Championship section players, and the gap between the two sections is always hotly contested, as indeed it is between Second and First. Very often the only reason a band from the top of one section does not successfully migrate up to the next section lies in their interpretation of a test piece at a contest, where their fate lies in the hands of an adjudicator. The adjudicator sits enclosed and unable to see the bands as they play, and then judges them on various points, one of which is interpretation. In the past, deportment was one of the judgeable factors, but this is no longer part of contest judgement. On many occasions success or failure will depend on very small matters, and this closeness increases in the higher sections.Although many of the players at the top are truly virtuoso musicians, outside the genre they are seldom well known. All are amateurs (players pay for the privilege of being allowed to play with a band), and every player knows that if his or her musicianship is not up to standard, there are other musicians trying for their seat (their place in the band). This means that player rivalry exists even within an individual band.
Fourth section
Most Fourth section bands try to move up the ranks to Third section, and so they set themselves musical tasks to enable them to improve. These tend to include the simpler marches and old test pieces. The marches and other compositions of the WelshWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
composer and conductor T. J. Powell remain constant favourites.
One of the principal reasons for a decline into Fourth section status lies in the difficulties of recruiting new players. In the past when Britain had extensive heavy industries, these would sponsor brass bands, who would then bear their name. For example, the once-great Melin Griffith Band of Cardiff was adopted by Excelsior Rope Works when the Melingriffith Works closed down, and then they became the Excelsior Rope Works Band.
The decline in industrial sponsorship removed the financial backing which supported such vital items as a practice room, uniforms, instruments, stands, chairs, and music, which taken together cost far more than a subscription band can ever afford. However with very few exceptions, these bands have been struggling to get by supported only by the members' subscriptions, the occasional sponsored concerts, and playing Christmas carols. Not infrequently, practice rooms become unavailable, adding still more to the pressure to disband, and many bands have disappeared or amalgamated in recent years. A further problem is that players of ability would normally rather play in a band which stretches them, so it becomes hard to recruit good players for a lower section band, and this increases the problem.
Youth section
Youth bands are not usually registered and are not graded, and so they do not really compare with the above sections. However, Youth bands may be permitted to perform in competitions. At some major competitions (e.g. Whit FridayWhit Friday
Whit Friday, meaning White Friday, is the name given to the first Friday after Pentecost or Whitsun .The day has a cultural significance in northern England, as the date on which the annual Whit Walks are traditionally held...
and Pontins), there is a youth section prize awarded, but this is not common.
Youth bands suffer from some perennial problems, because players grow too old for the band and leave, causing the strength of the band to wane and then grow again. Also, as many youth band players are not fully-grown, they do not have the sound capacity of the adult bands; however, this may be offset by their enthusiasm.
The very best three or four youth bands will be around the standard of the top First section and lower Championship section bands. However, their strength undulates, so a youth band could sweep all before them in August, and then collapse in September when all the top players leave for university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
.
The main competitions for youth bands are the Action Medical Research Youth Entertainment Championships, the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, and the brass band section of Music for Youth
Music for Youth
Music for Youth is a British charity which provides free access to educational and performance opportunities for groups of young musicians and audiences through a series of festivals and concerts throughout the UK. 2 million children have taken part in Music for Youth events since 1971...
.
The National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain
The National Brass Band Championships are split into two parts. The first is the Area contest where bands across all sections compete to qualify for the national Finals.The contest is run as a yearly event. The Area contests usually take place in March. The second part of the competition—the Finals—takes place the following September or October. Each section is assigned its own test piece. These test pieces are usually announced at the lower section Finals in September (or sometimes even before). In early June (after the qualifying bands from the Area contests have been decided), the set works for the Finals are announced.
There are eight Areas: West of England, London & Southern Counties, Midlands, Wales, North West, Yorkshire, North of England, and Scotland.
The First through Fourth Section Finals have recently been held at Harrogate International Centre
Harrogate International Centre
The Harrogate International Centre is a convention and exhibition centre in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England.It was first opened in 1982 and was notable as the host of the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest and had expanded overtime to include a 2,000 seat conference auditorium and eight exhibition...
, and the Championship Section Finals are held in the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
British contesting year
Other organizations' contests and championships are spread out over the year.| January | Butlin's Mineworkers' Brass Band Championships |
| February | Local Association contests |
| March | Regional qualifying contests |
| April | National Youth Brass Band Contest |
| May | European Championships, Spring Festival (Grand Shield, Senior Trophy, Senior Cup), All England Masters |
| June | Whit Friday Marches |
| July | English Nationals |
| September | British Open, Lower Section National Finals |
| October | Championship Section National Finals |
| November | Brass in Concert Championships, Pontin's Brass Band Championships, Scottish Open, Local Association contests |
Promotion and relegation
At the end of the competing season, the top two bands from each section are promoted to the next section up, and the bottom two are relegated to the section below. Several factors are used in determining who is promoted and relegated, and a band must perform consistently for three years, because the scores are aggregated over the previous two years. Therefore, a relegated band will usually have to spend at least two years in the section below before it can make its comeback.There are some shortcuts; for example, a band winning the National Title for its section is automatically promoted for the following year.